Thames Valley: Workforce has strong social conscience, says Savills report
According to the Savills latest What Workers Want report, Thames Valley office workers place a significant amount of importance on environmental factors and the sustainability of their workplace when compared to other areas of the UK.
The report, which surveyed office workers across the UK, found that 70% of employees in the Thames Valley valued proximity to green space, substantially above the UK average of 55%. Other things that Thames Valley occupiers consider more important is the public realm surrounding the office building, at 66% compared with 60% for the rest of the UK, air quality 86% to 83%, and most significantly car parking at 64% compared with 55% elsewhere in the country.
Rob Pearson, associate director in the south east office agency team at Savills, commented: “What’s clear from the results of the survey is that workers in the Thames Valley place a lot of emphasis on elements to do with sustainability and wellness. This could have something to do with the strong business park culture in the region that actively promotes many of these factors.
“Whilst it is important to acknowledge that 49% of respondents still preferred the town centre, this is still 10% less than the UK average, suggesting a stronger inclination towards a more campus based setting. Whilst the general trend is to be located in a town centre location with associated amenity and good public transport, perhaps the benefits of the air quality and green space have been overlooked by some in the real estate profession.”
A number of business parks across the Thames Valley are now catering specifically to the needs of occupiers. For example, Arlington Business Park in Theale has invested millions of pounds in improving its public realm in line with what workers want. For those who are more socially conscious, initiatives such as onsite allotments providing fresh and sustainable food and keeping an apiary to produce local honey are now becoming more common place.
The report also suggests that office workers in the Thames Valley consider a quiet space for more focused work very important at 80%, which is 7% higher than the UK average. Landlords continue to provide high quality adaptable grade-A accommodation which can help increase the productivity of their staff.
Pearson added: “The Thames Valley already provides a strong array of top quality office buildings, which is partly why it continues to attract global corporate occupiers. However, there is always room for improvement and this is an opportunity for landlords to create space that both appeals to those who place a lot of importance on the environmental impact of their workspace as well as enhancing overall productivity.”
